Staying Positive With Parkinson’s

“Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.” Alice Morse Earle

“When there is no turning back, we should concern ourselves only with the best way of going forward.” Paulo Coelho

*Introduction: A few readers have recently asked (i) if I go back and re-read previously posted blogs? And (ii) have I considered updating and posting revised versions of past blog posts (especially some of my favorite stories)? First and foremost, each blog story had a purpose or goal when published. They helped me work through my own Parkinson’s. Yes, I do re-visit past blog posts, especially if at that time, I’m struggling with some symptoms or other aspects of the disorder. Second, I have considered re-visiting some of my/your favorite/most read blog posts (a 2020 goal). Included below are excerpts from eight past blog stories. If interested, you might find something enjoyable in these older blog posts.

* Please see the dedication at the end of the blog post.

Remaining Positive With Parkinson’s: The theme of the current post is to help you remain positive in the presence of Parkinson’s. I do realize that it is easier said than done, but I believe this comment from Elbert Hubbard.,“Positive anything is better than negative nothing.” Featured below are eight suggestions/comments focused on finding the positive of that moment/hour/day. Also included are the following: (i) each suggestion printed on a colorful modern art backdrop and (ii) a 1-min mp4 file containing all eight tips/quotes.

Then And Now, Life Is Still Good
“Imagine yourself then, imagine yourself now with Parkinson’s. What are the differences? Life was good back then, and life is still good. The strength and resilience of friendships then were ever-present, and now this is even more important. The bonds in love before were strong but now even more crucial to augment survival.” From Imagine Yourself Then, Imagine Yourself Now With Parkinson’s

A Shining Beacon Called Hope
“To me, hope is a source of clarity. If you remain hopeful, there’s a strong likelihood that you will succeed in your endeavors. In managing a chronic progressive illness, you’re sometimes making decisions almost hourly about what to do next, how best to respond, thinking what is going to happen next? Reminding yourself there is hope allows you to more easily plan the response and follow the appropriate path.” From Hope in the Presence of Parkinson’s

Acknowledge Your Disorder But You Are Still Here
“Accept the cards you are dealt, but you decide how to play the hand with ______ [you fill-in-the-blank (for me, it’s Parkinson’s)]: I accept my Parkinson’s, but I refuse to let it define me. I accept that my life, work, and leisure time will remain focused for years to come with my disorder in the background.” From Life Happens: Believe, Accept, and Understand

Stay Positive
“There will be moments when you’re having a difficult time that your mindset turns negative; however, I believe that’s when you need to be most positive in dealing with Parkinson’s. Our lives are different now than they were before Parkinson’s and using positivity will allow us to creatively handle many obstacles ahead.” From Chapter 5: A Parkinson’s Reading Companion on Positivity

Take Life Moment By Moment
“Taking life as it comes, mindful to remain in the present moment is so vital to thriving (and living) with Parkinson’s. Feeling your breath moving in and out of your lungs will help you to focus on the current time. Try not to worry about a future event; strive to live in the present moment.” From Parkinson’s and the Positivity of Michael J. Fox

Be Persistent
“Our most difficult life-challenges could create the greatest time of our lives. As President Coolidge remarked “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence” says to me we must always keep going in dealing with our disorder. No doubt this is a tough situation having Parkinson’s, but being persistent is not giving up without trying. Staying persistent is creating new options, and it continually requires the courage of one’s convictions.” From H ope, Courage, Persistence, Positivity, Mindfulness, And The Journey

Keep Moving Forward
“At times, you live negatively and go backward. Focus on staying positive and practice moving forward; your co-workers will appreciate the effort. We can reflect on today and you can plan for tomorrow all you can do is relive yesterday. It’s much better to stay positive and go forward.” From 7 Tips and Healthy Habits for Working with Parkinson’s

Enjoy Today
“As always, stay focused and determined; strive for health and strength. And through it all, try to incorporate happiness into your daily life to help manage your Parkinson’s.” From Happiness and Parkinson’s: 10 Simple Suggestions to Make Your Life Happier

“The ship of my life may or may not be sailing on calm and amiable seas. The challenging days of my existence may or may not be bright and promising. Stormy or sunny days, glorious or lonely nights, I maintain an attitude of gratitude. If I insist on being pessimistic, there is always tomorrow. Today I am blessed.” Maya Angelou

*Dedication: I had the pleasure and privilege of attending/participating in Connexion 2019, which was sponsored by the organization Health Union (HU) from October 21-22 in Philadelphia, PA. Two hundred people met for two days, focused on being better patient advocates. The wonderful folks at HU support many chronic diseases (one of which is Parkinson’s disease). The advocates from the Parkinson’s group (Dan Glass, Karl Robb, Angela Robb, and Tom Sheppard; other team members were not able to attend) spent time together. We met with our talented and incredibly nice PD group leaders, Kate Leonard and Chris Hall (we are all pictured below). Connexion ’19 was a well-focused meeting, and there were many positive thoughts expressed. Therefore I would like to dedicate this blog post to HU and everyone who attended this uplifting and positive conference.